Suction head



April 4, 1 950 WQOCK I 2,502,612

SUCTION HEAD Filed Jan. 28, 1949 Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE SUCTION HEAD I Eric M. Woock, Lodi, Calif. 7 Application January 28, 1949, Serial No. 73,290

10 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an improved vacuum or suction head for picking up material from a surface on which said head is traveling; the device being especially designed,

1 but not limited, for use on vacuum type machines the seeds are swept ofi the ground into the suction flow in the head. An additional object of the invention is to provide a suction head, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein said manifold-directed air, being fed into the head at-the ground, is sucked upward, raising the adjacent foliage to permit of free escape of the seeds therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction head wherein said air entry manifold comprises, as the front wall of said head, a plurality of side by side flexible tubes whose lower end portions ride the ground; said tubes being inclined downwardly and rearwardly so that the lower ends of the tubes are not blocked or closed by the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a I suction head, for the purpose described, which maintains generally conforming engagement to the ground whereby to enhance the suction pickup action of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction head which is designed for economy and ease of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable suction head, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts aswill fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved suction head.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved suction head comprises a hollow, transversely elongated body, indicated generally at l, which body is open at the bottom and includes end plates 2 which project downwardly in the nature of runners.

The top of the transversely elongated body I slopes upwardly from opposite ends to merge with a, central, upstanding attachment neck 3, and a suction conduit 4 is secured to said neck. The suction conduit 4 depends from the remainder of the machine (not shown), and not only serves to create the suction in the head but also is the mount for the latter. It is understood that the suction conduit 4 is-vertically adjustable so as toposition the head to run substantially in engagement with the ground.

The front wall 'of the suction head is in the form of a transversely extending air intake manifold, indicated generally at 5, which manifold comprises a row of individual, flexible tubes 6 disposed inside by'side engagement; such tubes being relatively short and inclining downwardly and rearwardly.

The tubes 6 are relatively short, and the row thereof is'clamped in placeon the body I between a transverse back clamping bar i and a transverse front clamping bar 8 connected together by tie bolts 9.

,The tubes 6 are adjusted so that they substantially engage at the front portion of their lower ends with the ground; the lower end openings of said tubes being exposed above the ground by virtue of the rearward and downward inclination of such tubes. This is an important feature, as it assures against any blocking of the openings in the tubes at their lower ends when the suction device is in use, and additionally it assures that the air entry streams from the tubes are directed toward, or impinge against, the ground without restriction.

The rear wall 'ofthe suction head comprises a transversely extending skirt ll] of flexible material, which skirt is secured, at its upper edge portion, to a flange llon the body I; such skirt it extending at a downward and rearward incline, with'its lower edge dragging the ground as an air'seal. At their rear ends the end plates 2' are extended rearwardly and taper downwardly to form matching rests for the end portions of the transversely extending skirt I0.

When the above described suction head is in use the suction in conduit 4 causes constant air entrystreams to enter through the tubes 6; such streams impinging against the ground, stirring up the seeds thereon, and the air flow upwardly in the head then carries such seeds with it for passage upwardly through the neck 3 and suction conduit 4 for recovery by suitable mechanism on the machine. Also, the above course of the air causes foliage on the ground to stand erect within the suction head whereby the seeds can be drawn upwardly in an effective and unrestricted manner.

The flexibility of the tubes 6 not only permits of actual ground contact of the lower forward edge of the manifold 5, but permits such manifold to closely follow ground contours, whereby to provide a seal, and at the same time to loosen seeds adherent to the ground or to foliage thereon.

The suction head .is thus a very-practical, effective and reliable device for the recovery of seeds, such as clover seed, from the ground.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a; device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification setsforth, detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as. defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described; the. invention, the, following is. claimed. as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1'. A suction head: forsrecovery. of loose material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom, the body includin a front wall in the form of manifold having. a plurality of air entry passages. therein opening to the-lower edge ofsaid manifold; and. av suction conduit connected in. communication with the body; said manifold being: a row ofv upstanding tubes engagedin side by: said. relation, and said tubes being. flexible..-

2. A suction head for 1"ecover.y,.of loose material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom,.the1body includin a. front wall. in the. form. of a manifold havingv a plurality of air entry. passages; therein opening to the lower edge of said manifold. and a suction conduit connected communication with the body; said manifold being a..transverse. row of upstanding, relatively short, flexible tubes. dis-,

posed in side: by side engagement. andinclined downwardly andrearwardly for engagement with said surface,

3. A suction headfor. recovery; of, loose, material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom, thebody includingv a front wall. in the form. ofia's manifold having a plurality of air entrypassa estherein ..opening.to. the lower edge of said manifold, andiasuction conduitconnected in communicationi withthe body; said manifold being a. transverse. row of? upstanding, relatively shor.t,.flexib1e tubes disposed in side by side engagementaand"; inclined. downwardly and rearwardlyf or engagement. with said surface, the body-includin a: painof transverse clampingbars between which saidrowof tubes-is engaged.

4. A suction head; for. recoveny of loose, material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom, the body including a front wall in the form. of a,,manifold' having, a plurality of air entry passages therein. opening to the lower edge of said manifold, and a suction conduit connected in communication with the body; the manifold being a row of upstanding flexible tubes inside by side engagement, and the body including a transverse rear 'wall in the form of .a flexible skirt.

5. A suction head for recovery of loose material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom, the, body. including, a front wall in the form of a manifold having a plurality of air entry passages therein opening to the lower edge of said manifold, and a suction conduit connected in communication with the body; the manifold being a row of upstanding flexible tubes in side by side engagement, and the body including a transverse rear wall inthe form of a flexible skirt, said row of tubes, and the skirt, being inclined downwardly and rearwardly.

6. A suction head, as in claim 5, in which the body-includes dependentend plates; the rear portions of said plates tapering downwardly and rearwardly to provide supports for said skirt.

7'. A suction head for recovery of loose material from a surface, comprising a hollow body open at the bottom, the body being transversely elongated and including a front wall, a rear wall, and end plates; the front Wall being a manifold formed bya row of upstanding, relatively short, flexible tubes disposed in side by side engagement and inclined downwardly; and rearwardly for engagement with said! surface, and a suction conduit connected in communication with the. body at the top.

8. A suction head for recovery of loosematerial from a surface,v comprising a hollow body open at the, bottom, the; body being transversely elongated and including a;f:ront wall, a rear wall, and end plates; the. front wall, being. a manifold formed by a, rowof upstanding, relatively short, flexible tubes disposed,- insideby side. engagement and inclined downwardly and rearwardly for engagement with. said surface, anda suction conduit COIlIlfBCtCdy in. communication with the body at the top; saigdyrear walhbeing, a: flexible skirt.

9. A suction head for recovery of loose material from a surface; comprising; ahollow body open at the bottom, the body beingtransversely: elongated and including a; front wall; a rear wall, and end plates; the: fr nt well being; a manifold formed by arow ofqupstanding, relatively short, flexible tubes disposed? in Side" by side engagement. and inclined; downwardly and, rearwardly for engagement with s aid surface',v anda suction conduit connected in communication: with; the body atv the top; saiddrear; wall: being a. flexible skirt inclined downwardly and rearwardly.

10. A suction head 'for: recovery; of loose ma.- terial from a surface; comprising; ahollow body open at the bottom, the body being transversely elongated and-including afrontwall, a rear wall, and end plates; the. front Wall being a manifold formed by a row of upstanding; relatively short, flexible tubes disposedz'insideby side engagement and inclined downwardly and c'rearwardly' for engagement with: said' surfacesand; a suction conduit connected in communication, with. the body at the top; saidrear wallsbeinga flexible skirt inclined downwardly and: rearwardly; the; rear por tions of saidendplatestapering; downwardly and rearwardly to proyidmsupports fort-said: skirt.

ERIGiM: WGOCK.

\ REFERENCES CITED,

The following. references are of. record. in. the file, of. this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Stroschein May,-2,7,.1941 

